Basing machine



April 16, 1935. J. A. MORICK El AL BASING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed May 12, 1930 April 1935. J. A. MORICK ET AL 1,997,694

BASING MACHINE Original Filed May 12, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY April 1935- .1. A. MORICK EI'AL 1,997,694

BASING MACHINE Original Filed May 12, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 E; gm, '1

INVENTORS Q- Me a/ck BY 1W1: PAL/WW W W WWW ATTORNEYS J. A. MORICK ET AL April 16, 1935.

BASING MACHINE Original Filed May 12," 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS MQ MQI BY -w 2' 10 4mg Wm.

ATTORNEY April 16,, 1935. J. A. MORICK ET AL BASING MACHINE Original Filed May 12, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ENTOR 5 ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 16, 1935 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Swanson, Irving'tdn; N. J., assignors to Eisler Electric Corporation, Newark, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application May 12. 1930', SerialNo. 451,832

' Renewed July 3, 1934 15 Claims. (01. zso-zis) Thisin'vention relates to machines for basing electric bulbs, particularly radio tubes, and for soldernig'the leading in wires to the base terminals.

The object of the invention is a novel and improved machine for basing radio tubes and particularly a machine which is characterized by its simplicity in construction and reliability in operation. A further object of the invention is a machine of this character including a novel and improved combined baking and cooling means for the assembled bulbs and bases. A further object of the invention is a machinejof this character including novel means for trimming and cutting the surplus ends of the leading-in wires projecting through the base plugs. A further object of the invention is a machine of this character including novel means" for fluxing and soldering the leading-in wires terminals or prongs to the base plugs. A further object of the invention is a machine of this character including novel means for automatically replenishing or supplying solder to the soldering means; A further object of the invention is a machine of this character including novel means for dumping the finished bulbs from the machine. A further object of the invention is a novel machine for automatically performing the successive operations of baking the tubes, cooling them,- trimming the surplus leadingin wires, fiuxing' and soldering the leading-in wires to the base plugs andautomatically dumping the finished bulbs from the machine. A further object of theinve'n'ti'on is a machine of this general character characterized by the economy in manufacture and assembly thereof.

For a better understanding of the above-indicated novel features of the invention and others which will hereinafter appear reference may be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application wherein:

Fig. '1 is a plan View of the machine :with Cel tain parts broken away and certain parts omitted,

Fig. 2' is a sectional View along the line 22'-of' ig. 3 is a sectionalong the line 3 3 of Fig.1,

a part of the automatic Fig. 5 is a side View of the dumping means;

Fig. 5a is a section along the 11m 5a-5a cf Fig. 6 is a section along theline 6-6 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 7 is a view of means limiting movement of heads.

Referring to the drawings the invention is embodied in a machine including a rotatable spider i having a shaft journaled in a bearing Zcarried by a frame support 3, the spider being driven in any suitable manner, as for example by an electric motor (not shown), oneof the drivin gears being keyed to' the shaft of the spider If. The spider frame merges into an annular table-like structure 5 and am ne table 5. radial arms 6 extend outwardly carrying heads designated generally by the numeral 1 for supporting'the a'jssernb1ed'bu1b'sand bases 3 therein. The'bulbs swim the bases 9 are assembled on the carrying heads E while the latter are passing through the range indicated by the angle A and the rotating spider carries these bulbs thus assembled through an annular baking oven indicated at l0); this oven being in the formof an'inverted El-sectionhaving fittings H attached thereto for attachment to supporting posts 12 adj'ustably carried by frame member '3' at 13. The bakingoven is provided with the heating means indicated at {4, this being 111 the sci-m, as; for exam le, of .gassupm and heating flame pipes disposed nea'r the ends of the legs of the U-shaped section. The baking oven in the particular embodiment shown extends more than halfway around use machine, ambush; or course, the annular extentfoi the oven maybe varied to suit the particular requirements. The bulbs a and bases see ng assembled in the head supports l are progressively carried throughthe baking oven ID: in a counter clock direction tin plan View). After pas'sing-through'the oven tne; bases are automatically cooled, trimmed, uxes, soldered and removed from the'head support T, title cooiin m'eans being indicatedat I 5, the 'trirng-j ming means at lithe fluxin'g ineansat- I1, the soldering means at l8' and. the kick- OE means at l9.

The cooling means includes a plurallity' of air nczzlesfiil causing a nultiplicityair jets topla'y upon the bases 9 of mebm s'as the bulbs are cai ried therepa'st', the air jet ncziales 26 being sup plied by a common; air pressure supply pipe. H

The trimming mechanism it 'includesfacir'cular saw 2 l 'driven by" an electric rndtor 22 and opLerat ing' in a plane parallel to 'tl'i'el'pianei '1 of rno v errient' of the bulb baseathe circular trimming saw 2'! being supported on a level with the ends of the terminals or prongs 9 forming a part of and projecting from the bases 9, these terminals 9 being hollow or tubular and having projecting therethrough the leading-in wires 8 which are to be soldered to the terminals 9. The trimming or cutting saw 2| trims off the surplus or projecting portions of the leading-in wires 8 as the bulbs are carried beneath the saw. The motor 22 is supported from the framework 3 by means of a standard 23, the standard 23 carrying fixed collars 24, 25 near the upper end thereof between which the motor base 26 is adjustably mounted upon the standard 23. The base 26 is slidably mounted upon the standard 23 and the motor together with the trimming saw 2| may be adjusted to the exact level desired by means of the adjusting screw 2"! which is journaled in the collar or bracket 25 and cooperates with a screwthreaded opening in the base 26 to lower or elevate the driven motor and its base. A locking nut 28 is indicated for locking the mechanism in a fixed position. The electrical circuit for driving and controlling the motor 22 is omitted for convenience.

The fluxing mechani m includes a fluxing tank 36 which is supported in any suitable manner from the frame 3, as for example upon a rod or standard 3!. The fluxing tank contains a body of fluxing liquid 32 therein with a felt pad 33 supported near the top of the tank in any suitable manner, as for example upon the supports indicated diagrammatically at 34, and this pad is maintained moist with the fiuxing liquid at all times by means of suitable wicks 35. The ends of the plugs 9 of the bases are dipped into the fluxing tank 30 in contact with the felt pad 33 by reversing the normal position of the supporting heads 1 as the bulbs are carried past the fluxing tank. For this purpose the heads I are pivotally mounted in pairs for this reversal in position. For example, each radial arm 6 of the spider carries at the outer end thereof a tangential bearing 36, in which is journaled a shaft 31 and this shaft 3'! carries on each end one of the heads 1, each of such heads including a normally upwardly extending and outwardly inclined arm 38, such arm havin a socket for the reception of the base of the bulb the arrangement being such that the plugs 9 project up through the socket through an opening 46 in the socket when the base engages an inner shoulder 39 surrounding the opening 40. The heads I also include a spring pressed claw or finger support 4| disposed in line with the socket 39 and engaging the bulb 8 to yieldingly hold it and the base 9 in engagement with the socket. The finger support 4| is carried by a bracket 42 which includes a female guiding member 43 slidably mounted on a male guide member 44, the latter being fixed to a bracket 45 which is rigid with the arm 38. The bracket 42 is yieldingly held in its uppermost position, with the member 43 in engagement with the member 45, by means of a tension spring 46, and when a lamp bulb and base are assembled on the head support the spring 46 yieldingly holds the base 9 in the socket 39 and against the shoulder 39. The member 42 is provided with a cam roller engaging means 41 for a purpose hereinafter set forth. The pairs of heads I thus mounted upon the rotating pintles or shafts 31 are normally maintained in a position with the base 9 projecting upwardly by means of a rack 5|! meshing with a pinion 5| carried intermediate the ends of the shaft or pintle 31 and disposed in a slot dividing the bearing member 36 into a pair of alined journals. The rack 50 is guided in alined radially disposed guides 52 and 53, the guides 52 being mounted upon and attached to the inner edge of the annular table 5 and the guides 53 being mounted upon and attached to the radially extending spider arm 6. The bearing members 36 form a part of the members 53. Each rack 50 is provided with a roller 54 carried by a pin 55 fixed to the rack 59 and projecting through a slot 5 formed in the table 5, the pin 55 projecting also above the rack 50 and being attached by means of a tension spring 56 to a relatively fixed part of the spider l by means of a. pin 57, this spring 56 normally retracting the rack 50 to its innermost position with the device forming a stop limiting the inward move ment. This position corresponds to the normal baking, cooling and trimming operations. Adjacent the fluxing tank 30 is disposed a cam member 58 having an incline 59 with which the roller 54 engages as a pair of heads 1 approaches the fiuxing tank, automatically actuating the rack 53 in an outward direction to rotate the heads approximately 180 to dip the ends of the plugs or prongs 9 into the tank 30. The height 60 of the cam or incline 59 is reached just as the pair of heads 7 are immediately above the fluxing tank 36. At this point the terminals 5' are caused to be dipped into the fiuxing tank 30 as indicated in Fig. 3 ready for the soldering operation to follow. Immediately after passing the point 60 the roller 54 drops to the surface (it of the cam 58 which causes the rotation of the heads sufliciently to elevate the terminals 9 above the rim of the tank 30 permitting the unhindered continued rotation of the spider. In the particular embodiment herein shown the cams for causing the fiuxing, soldering and dipping operations are combined into one member 58, the surface 6| thereof permitting the base and its plugs 9' to freely pass over the edges or rim of the soldering tank 65. At the end of the surface 6! is provided a cam point 62 similar to the can; point 60 for dipping the ends of terminals 9 into the solder bath for closing up the ends of the terminals and firmly soldering the leading-in wires 5. After passing the cam point 62 the roller 54 runs down the incline 63 of the cam 53 to again permit the spring 56 to set the pair of heads 7 in an upright position.

The soldering tank 65 is supported in any suitable manner, as for example upon a standard 66 mounted upon a bracket 61 carried by the framework 3, the tank and the standard 66 being adjustable to obtain the exact position required. Suitable means are provided for heating the tank 65 and maintaining the solder bath hot, such for example as the gas burner 68 carried by a bracket 69 supported from the bottom of the tank 65.

The solder bath is automatically replenished and the level thereof automatically maintained. This is done by automatically feeding a solder strip 10 to a position above the-tank as the need for additional solder arises, the heat from the solder bath melting the end of the strip 10 as it projects over the tank. The strip 10 is automatically fed by a rotating knurled disc 'H cooperating with a roller 12 and being carried on the upper end of a shaft 13, the latter being journaled in a sleeve 14 carried by the bracket 61 and projecting thereabove. A pulley drive 15 is indicated for the shaft 13. The arresting of the feeding movement is effected by movement of the friction roller 12. This is carried by a bracket 16 pivoted on an axis. H: and normally urged by a spring 18 to the. dotted position indicated in. Fig. 4b out-of driving engagement with the. knurled roller H. The pivoting of the bracket 115. against the tension of spring 18 is effected by an electro-magnet' 'm operatively associated with an'armatu-re carried by the lever arm 89 which is fastened to or forms a part of the pivoted bracket 19,. The circuit of the electro-magnet 19 isautomatically controlled by means of a float 8i resting upon the solder bath, this float 8| being carried by the end of a bell crank lever pivoted at 82 the other arm 93 of this lever carrying a movable contact 84 which cooperates; with an adjustable contact 85 carried by a bracket 8.6 which is fastened to the tank and insulated therefrom as indicated at 81. The stationary contact 85 is. adjustable by means of the set screw 85. to the required position corresponding to the level of the solder bath desired. The contacts 84 and 85 are. disposed in the circuit 88. of the electromagnet I9. Accordingly when the solder bathrecedes to a predetermined level this circuit is closed and the electromagnet I9 actuates the roller 12 to.- a. position to grip the solder-wire 19.. between it and the rotating knurled disc II. When the solder bath reaches the predetermined level the circuit, is automatically broken. The pivoted bracket, 16 carries a pair of guide rollers 89. for guiding the strip 19, in advance of the disc 1 land also carriessimilar guide pulleys. 99to the rear thereof disposed in a plane at right anglesto thatofthe rollers 89, the pivotingmovement of the bracket 16 moving the wire lil. laterally towards and away from the disc H. The electro-magnet 19, is. adjustably carried by means of the bracket 19' secured to the upwardly extending bearing sleeve 14.

After the soldering operation andthe heads are reversed to the normal uprightposition the heads are carried to the unloading andloading; positions. Upon approaching the unloading position the-cam roller 41* of. a supporting head engages the cam surface of a cam 91 which is 'carried'by the framework and: this. automatically depresses. the finger support '41 thereby. lowering the bulb 8, 9 sufficiently to.,permit the removal thereof therefrom, the bulb resting by gravity upon the supporting fingers 4|. A torsion finger 92 is supported on a rod 93 carried by a bracket 94 fixed to the chute, this finger 92 projecting in the path of the released bulbs 8, 9 and functioning to automatically kick the bulb laterally from the finger support 4I' into a chute 95. The torsion fingeror arm 92 is yieldingly held in position by means of a torsion spring 96 providing for the yielding engagement of the arm with the bulb. For this purpose the arm 92 is carried by a pin 91 swivelled into the rod 93, the spring 96 having one end attached to the pin 91 and the other end attached to a collar 93 fixed to the rod 93. After passing the automatic dumping position the heads pass on through the loading position where the operator assembles the bases and bulbs on the supporting head 1 it being understood that a suitable basing cement is contained within the bases to mechanically seal the bases to the bulbs as they are passed through the baking oven. After the loading of the bulbs on the supports the cam rollers 4'! slide out from under the cam 9| permitting the yieldingly held finger grip 4| to carry the bulb and base 9 upwardly with the base 9 firmly but yieldingly engaging the socket as above described.

Means for limiting the inward radial movements of the racks 59 under the influence of the springs 5.6 are. indicated at I001, this means including an adjustable set screw and lock nut carried onan ear on the under side of bearing 36 and adjustably engaging the end of the head casting 4-5.

We claim: I

1-. In a basing machine for radio tubes a turntable, a plurality of supporting heads for assembled bulbs and, bases, 2. baking oven through which the heads. pass, relatively stationary means disposed in the path, of and operative to trim. and remove the surplus endsof leading-in wires projecting from the bases as the latter advance from. one position to another, means, for thereafter soldering the leading-in. wires to the bases, and means for rotating. the turntable, a soldering. bath being provided and the supporting heads being movable independently of: the: rotation of the table to dip the bases in the. bath and effect the soldering of the. leading-in wires to the bases.

2.. In a basing machine for radio tubes a. tiuntable, .a plurality of supporting heads for assembled bulbs. and; bases carried by said turntable, a baking. ovenf through which the heads ing-in wires to the. bases, and means for rotating the turntable, the: supporting heads normally supporting the tubes with the bases uppermost, but being pivotally mounted for reversing the position thereof together with means for reversing the supporting heads and dipping the bases in a soldering bath.

3; In. a basing'machine for radio. tubes a: turntable, a plurality of supporting heads for assembled bulbs and bases carried by said turntable, a baking oven through which the heads pass, means. for trimming and removing the surplus ends. of leading-in wires. projecting from the bases, means for thereafter soldering the leading-inwires to the bases, and: means for rotating the turntable, the supporting heads normally supporting the tubes with the bases uppermost A but being pivotally mounted for reversing the position thereof together with means for reversing the supporting heads and dipping the bases in a soldering bath, and a trimming mechanism including a circular saw disposed in a plane to remove the surplus ends of the leading-in wires projecting from the base in advance of the reversing and soldering position.

4. In a basing machine a carrier, a multiplicity of tube supporting heads on said carrier, a baking oven through which said supporting heads pass and means for soldering the leading-in wires to the base plugs after passing through the baking oven, the tube supporting heads normally occupying one position while going through the baking oven, but being moved to another position after passing therethrough to dip the bases and solder the leading-in wires to the bases together with means for moving said heads to the soldering position as they pass the soldering means.

5. In a basing machine a carrier, a multiplicity of tube supporting heads on said carrier, a baking oven through which said supporting heads pass and means for soldering the leading-in wires to the base plugs after passing through the baking oven, the tube supporting heads normally supporting and carrying the tubes with the bases uppermost but being pivotally mounted to: reverse the tubes to dip the ends of the bases in a soldering bath. I

verse the tubes to dip the ends of the bases in fluxing and soldering baths.

7. In a basing machine a carrier, a multiplicity of tube supporting heads on said carrier, a baking oven through which said supporting heads pass and means for dipping andsoldering the leading-in wires to the base plugs after passing through the baking oven, the supporting heads being movably supported onthe carrier and means being provided for automatically shifting the supporting heads from the baking to the dipping and soldering position at the soldering point.

8. In a basing machine a carrier, a multiplicity of tube supporting heads on said carrier, a baking oven through which said supporting heads pass and means for dipping and soldering the leadingin wires to the base plugs after passing through the baking oven, the supporting heads being movably supported on the carrier and means being provided for automatically shifting the supporting heads from the baking to the clipping and soldering position at the soldering point, said shifting means including a rack and pinion drive mechanism for the supporting heads and a cam for actuating the rack and pinion mechanism against the tension of a spring.

9. In a basing machine a carrier, a multiplicity of bulb supporting heads on said carrier, said heads being pivotally mounted thereon for actuation to either a baking position or to a treating position, a baking oven through which the supporting heads pass, a treating bath and means for shifting the supporting heads from the baking position to the treating position and causing the bulbs to dip into the treating bath when passing the same.

10. A machine of the character set forth in claim 9 wherein the shifting means includes a stationary cam, and rack and pinion mechanisms for the heads operable by said cam for shifting the heads from the baking position to the treating position.

11. In a basing machine a carrier, a multiplicity of tube supporting heads on said carrier, a baking oven through which said supporting heads pass and means for soldering the leading-in wires to the base plugs after passing through the baking oven, means being provided for fiuxing the base plugs in advance of the soldering means, said fluxing means including a tank with a fluxing bath and a mechanism for moving the supporting heads to cause them to dip into and out of the fluxing and soldering baths in succession.

12. In a basing machine a carrier, a multiplicity of tube supporting heads on said carrier, a baking oven through which said supporting heads pass and means for soldering the leading-in wires to the base plugs after passing through the baking oven, means being provided for fiuxing the base plugs in advance of the soldering means, said fluxing means including a tank with a fiuxing bath and a mechanism for moving the supporting heads to cause them to dip into and out of the fiuxing and soldering baths in succession, the fluxing bath including a tank with a moistening pad supported therein and fed by wicks projecting down into the fiuxing bath.

13. In a basing machine for radio tubes, a turntable with heads thereon for advancing the tubes in succession, a soldering bath beneath the path of the heads, and means for moving said heads as they pass over the soldering bath to cause the tubes to dip into the bath.

14. In a machine of the character set forth in claim 13 wherein the tubes are caused to be reversed in position after dipping into the bath.

15. In a machine of the character set forth in claim 13 wherein a fluxing bath is disposed in advance of the soldering bath and the tubes are caused to dip first into and out of the fiuxing bath and then into and out of the soldering bath.

JOSEPH A. MORICK. KENNETH P. SWANSON. 

